[time-nuts] LORAN-C demise

Bob Camp lists at cq.nu
Sat Nov 28 22:47:55 UTC 2009


Hi

Some of us have been trying to get the telcom OEM's to embrace a backup for GPS. There are a number of possible things they could do at various points in their networks. Different companies have pushed different approaches for many years. In all cases the response has been "the carriers don't want it". If you go to the carriers it's "the regulations don't require it".  I suspect if you go to the regulators they have their answer as well.

The net result is that something like 99+% of the GPS based stuff out there has no real backup (other than holdover) built into it. Without a backup already built into the gear, keeping Loran up or not has very little impact. Without a regulatory change none of the alternatives are going to get built in. They don't all depend on Loran's unclear future. None of them will go in unless there's a requirement to do so ...

That's true worldwide. It's not an issue with one country or another. It's not an issue with one system or the other. It's not an issue of a level of system or quality of carrier. It's not even an issue of military versus commercial. They just plain don't do it. Backup for timing simply isn't on anybody's list.  

Sad but very true. 

Bob


On Nov 28, 2009, at 4:04 PM, ken hartman wrote:

> My impression is that significant stake-holders (e.g. Telecom service
> providers, ILECs, AOPA, National Laboratories, FAA, NIST, DHS, CG, and
> others) were unwilling  - at an institutional level - to embrace or own any
> aspect of LORAN preservation and unable - at an individual level - to
> influence "policy" decisions with *any* consideration for technical
> viability or necessity.
> Stated  differently  - this nations  NTP policy is totally driven  by
> political considerations without regard to demonstrable critical
> infrastructure technical evaluation.
> Standard disclaimer: My opinions only
> khartman
> 
> 
> On Sat, Nov 28, 2009 at 2:36 PM, Chuck Harris <cfharris at erols.com> wrote:
> 
>> Time and frequency measurement people were specifically
>> exclude from the polls I have seen to determine whether
>> or not Loran should continue.  They only wanted navigation
>> users input... and I guess there weren't any.
>> 
>> -Chuck
>> 
>> 
>> J. Forster wrote:
>> 
>>> There are on-line petition sites where people can sign on to support a
>>> particular cause. Has anyone started such a petition to save LORAN?
>>> 
>>> I've not seen one.
>>> 
>>> Best,
>>> -John
>>> 
>>> ==============
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Given the confusing and seemingly ambiguous infomation on the .gov site,
>>>> a
>>>> clearer picture is given by this announcement:
>>>> 
>>>> http://www.gpsworld.com/gnss-system/news/coast-guard-jettisons-loran-9178
>>>> 
>>>> excerpted below:
>>>> 
>>>> Coast Guard Jettisons Loran
>>>> November 25, 2009
>>>> ------------------------------
>>>> 
>>>> The U.S. Coast Guard Commandant has formally certified that termination
>>>> of
>>>> the Loran-C signal will not adversely impact maritime navigation, signing
>>>> a
>>>> document to that effect on November 20 and forwarding it to the Secretary
>>>> of
>>>> Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. The first of the two criteria for
>>>> terminating the Loran-C signal has thus been met.
>>>> 
>>>> Anticipated next steps include a Coast Guard ALCOAST Internet message
>>>> release on this topic, the release of the Programmatic Environmental
>>>> Impact
>>>> Statement Record of Decision, and a Federal Register Notice, all measures
>>>> en
>>>> route to executing the termination of the Loran-C signal.
>>>> 
>>>> Actual termination depends upon a final determination by DHS Secretary
>>>> Napolitano that the Loran-C infrastructure is not required as a backup to
>>>> GPS. Until then, the Coast Guard will continue  moving towards
>>>> termination
>>>> while operating the system. If/when that determination is made, actual
>>>> termination will take place.
>>>> For a recent *GPS World* blog and readers' comments on this subject, see
>>>> Wide
>>>> Awake with No
>>>> Back-Up<
>>>> http://www.gpsworld.com/gnss-system/wide-awake/wide-awake-with-no-back-9168
>>>>> 
>>>> .
>>>> 
>>>> Inevitable , but still a misguided shame.
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>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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